There are ample app development companies worldwide and it is a challenging task to choose the right app development partner for your business among these. Every project has its own specific needs and an app development company that is good for one, may not suit the needs of some other business.
While there is no fool-proof way to ensure that your chosen app development partner will turn out to be perfect, here are a few do’s and don’ts that can help you select the right app development partner in 2020.
7 Do’s for Selecting the Right App Development Partner
1. Check the Reviews and Listing Networks
Check the popular listing and review networks like Clutch, GoodFirms, Manifest, and more for “Top Mobile App Development Companies”.
These are the popular platforms that list top app development companies worldwide. You can utilize this for initial short-listing. Else, if you already have a development partner option in mind, confirm if it is listed on any of these networks.
If you prefer a local app development partner, you can search based on your location.
In either case, if you can find the name of the company in any of these lists, check their reviews and ratings on these pages.
2. Gather Detailed Information from Company’s Website
When you have a list of the options for potential app development partners, check their website and portfolio. You must check the company’s experience in app development.
It is not that you need to choose those with the highest years of experience listed, but a company that is very new in the development market can (possibly) lack experience dealing with clients and lack enough resources too to include skilled developers.
3. Check App Development Company’s Portfolio and Projects
Check their work portfolio in detail including which technology they work on! Ensure they have experience with the latest technology trends in app development.
Check their list of projects on the website and specifically check if there are any projects of your specific domain. You may even download (check the app store) any app they have created to see how well it has been developed.
4. Seek Client Details of Short-Listed Options
A good way to find out whether the app development partner options you have short-listed, is the right choice, is to seek their feedback from their clients.
There are two ways to get the details of their clients, one is directly from their website. If you do not get enough client information from their website, you can directly seek this information from the app development company.
Client feedback is very important and an ideal way to decide on the right app development partner.
5. Make Sure the Company Understands Your Project Needs
You need to communicate well with the short-listed app development companies and make sure that these companies are transparent in communication. It is a golden rule that an app development company that is not very transparent in communication, will not be the right development partner for you in the long-run.
Confirm if the app development company can understand your project needs well. You can ask them to provide suggestions for your app idea and features or can ask relevant questions to confirm this.
One more point of caution while choosing the right app development partner is to confirm if they are conversant or experienced in your domain. For example, if you need a healthcare app, they should be able to understand the critical needs of healthcare domain apps to include domain-specific regulations, if any, as well.
6. Confirm That the Company Offers Continued Support and Maintenance
A very important deciding factor for mobile app development partner is whether they provide post-launch support and maintenance or not!
If they don’t, eliminate this company from your options altogether as even the best app may need continued technical support and maintenance and it is a big hassle to look for another development company to handle such sudden needs.
Note that generally post-launch support and maintenance of the app are charged extra, and you need to clarify with them these costs too.
7. Stress on GDPR Compliance
The most important tip for app development in 2020 is to check if the potential app development company is clear about GDPR norms and assures a GDPR compliant product.
4 Don’ts – Mistakes to Avoid While Choosing Your App Development Partner
1. Don’t Decide on Cost “Only”
While app development cost is an important factor and every business has a budget, cost should not be the only deciding factor for your app development partner. Remember, a less priced option can even prove to be a complete loss if the developed app is deficient and fails to satisfy your business needs and users.
2. Don’t Forget About Confidentiality Needs
Do not underestimate the significance of confidentiality and NDA or non-disclosure agreement for your development project. Don’t go for development partners that are reluctant about signing an NDA.
3. Don’t Choose a Company That Avoids Documentation
Documentation, including the detailed specifications mutually agreed upon, is important to any development project. This will give clarity if you need modification in the app in the future or while handing over to another app development company if needed. Discuss your documentation needs with them beforehand and don’t choose the company that is reluctant about necessary documentation.
4. Don’t Ignore the Importance of GDPR Compliance
Most importantly, don’t take the risk of hiring a development company that is not clear about the importance of GDPR norms. There are strict penalties for ignoring these regulations.
Wrapping Up
Remember, the app development partner chosen can decide the future of your app and the future of your business. So, be diligent and do not ignore these tips for choosing the right app development partner.
As rightly said,
“When you make a choice, you change the future.” (By Deepak Chopra)
So, put the future of your business in the right hands by investing a good amount of time in selecting the right app development partner.
Our team of experts at Blue Whale Apps ensures that we deliver the best app solutions to our clients to help them surge their business. Talk to us for your app development needs, but do not forget to check the dos and don’ts listed above!
